The Godric Pumpkin
by Lara1221
Summary: Fred and George convince Harry that there is a pumpkin that channels Godric Gryffindor on his birthday, and he waits out for it to come that very night.


**Disclaimer:** I own absolutely nothing.

 **A/N:** So this is my first ever crossover. It took a lot of thinking and a lot of reworking and in the end I don't think its the greatest thing I've ever written but I do think it'll make you smile. All you need to know is that Harry is Linus, Ginny is Sally, Ron is Charlie (lol), and Hermione is Lucy. I hope it worked out that way in your head, too. Please tell me what you think! **Written for: (skip)**

 **QL rnd 12: wasps' beater 2:** write a comics crossover; prompts - 8. honest and 13. letter **; hogwarts school comp: yr 5: astronomy** (write anything; prompts - words: huge, story / mood: awed, bored / emotion: hope, hate / item: painting / adjective: uncommon, ugly, old, shiny / quote: louise brown quote at top / phrase: forgive and forget, a grudge is a heavy thing to carry / uwl: 3986 / lwl: 1009) **and ec: ancient studies** (prompts - consist, joke, library, knock, foolish, sisters, cast, lying, party) **; greek comp: heracles:** write about Harry **; open cat 4:** gryffindor **;**

* * *

 _The richest most meaningful stories are found in small places: made, carried, crafted, told, and retold by apparently unimportant people._ \- Louise Brown

* * *

The Godric Pumpkin

Twelve year old Harry Potter, as best friend of Ron Weasley and resident of the Burrow for the summer and Gryffindor common room for the school year, thought he was at least well-versed in the Weasley twins' schemes by now.

But after tonight, he would realize he was so, so wrong.

When it came to Fred and George, no one was safe.

It had started off nice enough. There's been over a week since the Chamber, and since there weren't any exams to worry about, Harry was having a nice time just relaxing the days away with Ron and Hermione and basically everyone in Gryffindor tower, who were in perpetual celebration of the early summer.

So Harry was not sure what exactly persuaded him to listen to people like Fred and George. Maybe he was getting bored, or perhaps a momentary lapse of sanity; nevertheless, Harry had found himself eating their words up, and he remembered this morning with crystal clarity.

 _"A pumpkin?" Harry deadpanned, making it clear he was buying none of what the twins were selling._

 _"A_ Godric _pumpkin!_ " _Fred corrected. "No one knows how or why, but it comes alive every year on Gryffindor's birthday and starts to talk like him. It's wicked."_

 _"It just sits behind Gryffindor's portrait all year," George continued. "But at night, the portrait swings open and if someone's come to see, it'll talk."_

 _"You're lying. That's the whole story?"_

 _"To the letter."_

 _"That's dumb. Why would Gryffindor put his spirit in a pumpkin?"_

 _"Why not? It's fat and ginger and has a face without looking bloody strange."_

 _"You_ sound _bloody strange_."

 _"C'mon, mate," said Fred this time, a devilish grin stretched across his face. "We know all the Gryffindor secrets; been here for ages. Plus, what've you got to lose? It's just a night in the corridor, honest. No harm, no foul."_

Harry pondered it for the rest of the day. It wasn't uncommon for there to be things in the magical world he hadn't heard of. It _would_ be pretty amazing to hear Gryffindor talk, and the only thing he would be missing was a party in the common room, courtesy of Oliver's mates. No harm done.

Neither Hermione nor Ron shared this perspective.

"Really, Harry. That's just ridiculous. The founders of this school have found many ways to pass on their legacy, all of which have been written down. There is no such thing as the Godric pumpkin," she had said.

"Eh hem," Ron had cut across. "There _are_ true stories that aren't in books, you know. But really mate, don't go," he turned to Harry with the face of someone looking at an idiot. "Even if it was true, Fred and George? Is that a joke? They can't be trusted."

"And _honestly_ ," put in Hermione again, "I wouldn't go _near_ anything those boys suggested with a ten meter pole. Don't be foolish."

But he did think about it, and during lunch, he sat down across from Hermione and Ron and started seeking their companionship tonight once again, despite the fact that he was nearly positive he was going anyway. "What should I say to him, you think?"

"So help me Harry Potter, if this is about that pumpkin again, I will knock sense into you with this book," said Hermione, from where she was dutifully reading and eating simultaneously.

Ron just shook his head and laughed. "I can't believe you're still thinking about this."

"Thinking about what?" came Ginny's voice, as she sat down next to her brother. She glanced in Harry's direction, but when he looked at her full on, she dropped her gaze to her food.

"'red 'n George 'ave 'arry 'ooled," said Ron around a mouthful of food. He swallowed. "Told him there was an old pumpkin with Gryffindor's soul behind his portrait."

Ginny laughed. "Merlin, I'd love to see that."

Harry pointed. "See! I'd love to see it, too. Who wouldn't?"

"Me," said Hermione, leaving with book in hand. "See you tomorrow morning, then."

Harry looked at Ron. "Hermione seems off, don't you think?" Ron rolled his eyes and shrugged as he ate his pudding. "Maybe. She's probably tired. All that reading."

It was Harry's turn to roll his eyes and eat, while Ginny chuckled.

* * *

Despite everything, Harry found himself in the corridor that night, staring at the huge portrait of Godric Gryffindor. He sunk down in front of the portrait, clutching the invisibility cloak in his lap. His reflection was warped in the shiny frame of the portrait, and he tried to ignore the fact that he felt ridiculous.

Whenever he heard footsteps coming, he threw the cloak over himself and sat very still. He waited and watched the portrait hall for what seemed like hours, but it had probably only been thirty minutes when Ginny showed up. He couldn't even hear her until she was right beside him. Her words seemed nervous, but she seemed happy. Just over a week later, it was a relief.

"Want some company?"

Harry smiled. "Sure."

The minutes that followed felt like hours because they consisted of silence, and Harry hoped Ginny didn't realize he was uncomfortable, because he realized how much she was trying. It took a while before Harry thought of something to say, but he voiced it when he did.

"I bet Fred and George don't get anything by you."

Ginny looked at him, confused. "Yeah?"

"Yeah. Little sisters are probably supposed to be innocent and trusting, but with brothers like Fred and George, I can't imagine that."

She grinned. "Welcome to the twentieth century!" Her smile fell in the silence that followed, but she eventually asked: "So what's your favorite Quidditch team?"

Confused by the change of topic but thrilled it had happened, Harry told her, "I haven't had the chance to watch many matches, but I'm willing to bet the Wasps." Harry couldn't help but laugh when she scoffed.

"The Harpies are definitely the best."

"All girls does seem pretty great."

Their conversation continued comfortably now, but Harry couldn't help but glance at the portrait every few minutes with hope. The fact was, no matter how outrageous the story, he _did_ want to talk to the voice of Godric Gryffindor coming out of a jack o' lantern.

But another hour passed, and Harry was pretty sure it was midnight. He had lost track of time.

But even if he hadn't, he would've been too shocked and awed when that portrait hole swung open anyway to notice that it was either the ugliest pumpkin he had ever seen, or…

Ginny screamed just as something wet splashed across his face.

Peeves the Poltergeist crackled, looping up into the ceiling and back down in joy as he dripped the pumpkin juice onto the floor.

"Peeves!" Harry yelled angrily, wanting to take his anger out, but the Poltergeist began shouting as he shot away, a laughter mocking him all the way through the castle.

Ginny's jaw had dropped. "I'm going to kill them." But then she started to laugh, and Harry joined in.

They were still chuckling when they got back to Gryffindor tower and stumbled in. Harry said a brief "I hate you," to Fred and George, who were literally rolling on the floor. Ginny was not so kind; she hit each in the head. "Forgive and forget, sister of mine! You wouldn't want to carry a grudge." Ginny pointed her wand at them and cast a tickling charm, laughing at her brothers who could now, literally, not stop laughing.

Ron turned to him when he finally got into bed. "Don't feel bad. Fred and George have gotten all of us. And by the way, Hermione was grumpy because she couldn't find the book she wanted in the library, and Madam Pince wasn't there to help her. Typical."

Harry laughed. "It wasn't too bad."


End file.
